Internal combustion engines generate exhaust as a by-product of fuel combustion within the engines. Engine exhaust contains, among other things, unburnt fuel, particulate matter such as soot, and harmful gases such as carbon monoxide or nitrous oxide. To comply with regulatory emissions control requirements, engine exhaust must be cleaned before it is discharged into the atmosphere.
Engines typically include aftertreatment components that remove or reduce harmful gases and particulate matter in the exhaust. The aftertreatment components may be located in an aftertreatment system mounted either on the engine or on a frame of a machine associated with the engine. An on-engine aftertreatment system must meet a large number of criteria designed to ensure longevity and ease of use. For example, an on-engine aftertreatment system should be capable of being assembled in a relatively limited amount of space. Moreover, the components used for mounting the aftertreatment system must be able to carry the weight of the aftertreatment system and withstand loads generated because of sudden changes in velocity or temperature, while maintaining general alignment of an exhaust inlet of the aftertreatment system with an exhaust outlet from the engine.
An exemplary aftertreatment system is disclosed in World Intellectual Property Organization International Publication No. WO 2011/087819 of Kiran et al. that was published on Jul. 21, 2011 (“the '819 publication”). Specifically, the '819 publication discloses a mounting system for an exhaust aftertreatment system that provides some isolation from shock and vibration loads. The disclosed, system includes isolators that attach the exhaust aftertreatment system to a support structure. The '819 publication discloses two different types of isolators, namely stiff isolators and soft isolators. The stiff isolators are used at one end of the mounting system to limit movement of the aftertreatment system at that end. The soft isolators are used in other locations to allow for thermal expansion.
Although the system of the '819 publication may be suitable for some applications, it still may be less than optimal. In particular, the isolators may not sufficiently reduce vibrations of the aftertreatment system during operation of the engine. As a result, components of the aftertreatment system may crack and become damaged, causing reduced performance and failure of the aftertreatment system. Further, the soft isolators may limit an amount of thermal expansion of the aftertreatment system, thereby inducing stress on the aftertreatment components.
The mounting system of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art.